Want to learn more about what they do? Click here to go to their site.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Tomorrow's Voices-Autism month
To end Autism awareness month, we had Tomorrow's Voices. Tomorrow’s Voices - Bermuda Autism Early Intervention Centre was the brainchild of two parents of autistic children, Ms. Tricia Crow and Ms. Thea Furbert. As the founders and former President and Vice President of BASE these parents felt that there was a need for a place that could provide hands-on Applied Behavior Analysis/Verbal Behavior services for children on the Autism Spectrum. With the help of donors, the autism community, friends and family their brainchild became a reality with Tomorrow’s Voices – Bermuda Autism Early Intervention Centre officially opening its doors to clients in October 2007.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Despite Dangers, Afghan Girls Determined To Learn
This article speaks for itself, take a read, or take a listen:
Check the bottom for a link to take you to scenes of Afghanistan.
All Things Considered, May 1, 2009 · Public education is among the many casualties of the growing war in Afghanistan, and the threat of violence is especially acute for Afghan girls. Parents, who in the past did not allow their daughters to go to school because of societal taboos, are once again keeping them at home because of the threat of attacks by militants wielding acid or worse.
But many girls are refusing to give up their schooling — no matter what the cost.
The Afghan government, aid groups and defiant teachers are operating public schools as well as secret, in-home classes in a risky effort to ensure that Afghan girls get an education.
Nearly half of the country's children do not attend classes, most of them in the Taliban-rife south, says Afghanistan's education minister, Farouq Wardak. Hundreds of schools have closed in Kandahar and neighboring provinces because of militant attacks and threats.
Acid Attack On Girls, Teachers
Education officials say more often than not, girls in Kandahar and the surrounding provinces simply stay home — especially after attacks such as those last November when men on motorcycles sprayed or poured acid on 11 female students and four teachers as they headed to school in the city.
Shamsia Hosseini was the most badly injured in the attack. The burn marks are still visible on the ninth-grader's face; she needs surgery her family cannot afford. Still, unlike most others who were attacked that day, Shamsia has returned to the Mirwais School for Girls.
She describes what happened to her in a rapid monotone. She says she refuses to dwell on the attack, and she is clearly still traumatized.
Shamsia goes to the front of the cavernous classroom and reads a passage in Dari from a well-worn textbook. But she quickly falls apart.
"I can't do this," she mutters, and returns to her seat.
Staying Home Not The Answer
The younger students at her school are more enthusiastic. In a UNICEF tent that serves as a classroom, 8-year-old Shazia points to Quranic verses on the chalkboard and reads them aloud for her classmates to repeat as a fighter jet flies overhead.
Their teacher, Sadigha Rezaie, puts on a brave face for the children. But inside, she, like most teachers, is frightened.
"It's very unsafe in the city. Every time you walk to school, you're looking behind your back to see if a motorcycle is following you. And it's even scarier because we're with these little girls," she says.
Education Continues In Private Homes
There is another option for the girls of Kandahar.
In the walled courtyard of her parents' house in Kandahar, 17-year-old Marzia Sadat teaches a Dari language course. Her students, who range in age from 14 to 40, all wear their opaque burkas in class on a recent day, guarding their anonymity against Western visitors.
The youngest, Amina, says her parents have always refused to let her go to school because of the threats. But they agreed to let her attend this class because it takes place inside a neighbor's home.
The 10-month course is similar to secret classes Afghan girls attended during the 1990s, when educating girls was banned under the Taliban. But now, the effort is sanctioned by the Afghan government and funded by international groups like the World Food Program and the Canadian International Development Agency.
Afghan supervisors, who asked they not be taped or named for fear of reprisals, say they started about 200 of these in-home courses two years ago.
Clandestine Classes Keep Hope Alive
Today, the number of classes exceeds 400, each with about 30 students. To help coax families into sending their girls, students are given wheat, cooking oil and salt.
Teachers, such as Sadat, receive no salary but instead receive food staples, too. Sadat says she doesn't mind because her aim is to make sure her country doesn't fall to militants.
"I want to serve my nation and my country. If the militants kill me, so be it. I pray to God as do my mother and father and that gives me the strength not to be afraid," she says.
Sadat says her efforts are paying off. Her student, Amina, says she is determined to stay in school so she can become a nurse or doctor someday.
Threats, Options For One Girl
Fourteen-year-old Golalai Achakzai doesn't attend school — and hasn't for nearly 18 months, she says, because her father won't let her go, although her situation is different from most Afghan girls.
Her father, Darweza Achakzai, is a dual Afghan-German citizen and chemistry professor who returned to his native Kandahar to teach.
Achakzai looks sadly at the shy teenager he adopted in Afghanistan. He fiddles with his worry beads as he explains in German to a visitor that he has no choice but to keep her home.
"People assume I'm rich because of the fact I moved here from Germany. So she's a target for kidnappers. They'll cut off one of her hands and send it to me and tell me to pay a ransom if I want her back," Achakzai says.
Such fears are founded. The professor's late wife, Sitara, who served on Kandahar's provincial council, was gunned down earlier this month in front of their home. Achakzai says the only hope for his daughter's education is for them to leave Afghanistan, which he plans to do next month.
It's an answer for this family, but not an option for countless other girls in Kandahar.
But many girls are refusing to give up their schooling — no matter what the cost.
The Afghan government, aid groups and defiant teachers are operating public schools as well as secret, in-home classes in a risky effort to ensure that Afghan girls get an education.
Nearly half of the country's children do not attend classes, most of them in the Taliban-rife south, says Afghanistan's education minister, Farouq Wardak. Hundreds of schools have closed in Kandahar and neighboring provinces because of militant attacks and threats.
Acid Attack On Girls, Teachers
Education officials say more often than not, girls in Kandahar and the surrounding provinces simply stay home — especially after attacks such as those last November when men on motorcycles sprayed or poured acid on 11 female students and four teachers as they headed to school in the city.
Shamsia Hosseini was the most badly injured in the attack. The burn marks are still visible on the ninth-grader's face; she needs surgery her family cannot afford. Still, unlike most others who were attacked that day, Shamsia has returned to the Mirwais School for Girls.
She describes what happened to her in a rapid monotone. She says she refuses to dwell on the attack, and she is clearly still traumatized.
Shamsia goes to the front of the cavernous classroom and reads a passage in Dari from a well-worn textbook. But she quickly falls apart.
"I can't do this," she mutters, and returns to her seat.
Staying Home Not The Answer
The younger students at her school are more enthusiastic. In a UNICEF tent that serves as a classroom, 8-year-old Shazia points to Quranic verses on the chalkboard and reads them aloud for her classmates to repeat as a fighter jet flies overhead.
Their teacher, Sadigha Rezaie, puts on a brave face for the children. But inside, she, like most teachers, is frightened.
"It's very unsafe in the city. Every time you walk to school, you're looking behind your back to see if a motorcycle is following you. And it's even scarier because we're with these little girls," she says.
Education Continues In Private Homes
There is another option for the girls of Kandahar.
In the walled courtyard of her parents' house in Kandahar, 17-year-old Marzia Sadat teaches a Dari language course. Her students, who range in age from 14 to 40, all wear their opaque burkas in class on a recent day, guarding their anonymity against Western visitors.
The youngest, Amina, says her parents have always refused to let her go to school because of the threats. But they agreed to let her attend this class because it takes place inside a neighbor's home.
The 10-month course is similar to secret classes Afghan girls attended during the 1990s, when educating girls was banned under the Taliban. But now, the effort is sanctioned by the Afghan government and funded by international groups like the World Food Program and the Canadian International Development Agency.
Afghan supervisors, who asked they not be taped or named for fear of reprisals, say they started about 200 of these in-home courses two years ago.
Clandestine Classes Keep Hope Alive
Today, the number of classes exceeds 400, each with about 30 students. To help coax families into sending their girls, students are given wheat, cooking oil and salt.
Teachers, such as Sadat, receive no salary but instead receive food staples, too. Sadat says she doesn't mind because her aim is to make sure her country doesn't fall to militants.
"I want to serve my nation and my country. If the militants kill me, so be it. I pray to God as do my mother and father and that gives me the strength not to be afraid," she says.
Sadat says her efforts are paying off. Her student, Amina, says she is determined to stay in school so she can become a nurse or doctor someday.
Threats, Options For One Girl
Fourteen-year-old Golalai Achakzai doesn't attend school — and hasn't for nearly 18 months, she says, because her father won't let her go, although her situation is different from most Afghan girls.
Her father, Darweza Achakzai, is a dual Afghan-German citizen and chemistry professor who returned to his native Kandahar to teach.
Achakzai looks sadly at the shy teenager he adopted in Afghanistan. He fiddles with his worry beads as he explains in German to a visitor that he has no choice but to keep her home.
"People assume I'm rich because of the fact I moved here from Germany. So she's a target for kidnappers. They'll cut off one of her hands and send it to me and tell me to pay a ransom if I want her back," Achakzai says.
Such fears are founded. The professor's late wife, Sitara, who served on Kandahar's provincial council, was gunned down earlier this month in front of their home. Achakzai says the only hope for his daughter's education is for them to leave Afghanistan, which he plans to do next month.
It's an answer for this family, but not an option for countless other girls in Kandahar.
Same thing all over the world-We must stand together!!
The Talking Teacher has just recently returned from a Caribbean Union of Teachers conference in St. Croix (pictures to follow) and have had a lot of different thoughts on his mind as a result. One thing is this- all around the world, teachers are going through the same struggles, the same celebrations, the same issues. Check this from a recent BBC post, about teachers in Africa:
Teachers in Zimbabwe have called off a strike despite their wage demands not being met, while the government has slashed school fees for the new term.
David Coltart said the government had no money to raise their salaries, but he had agreed to help teachers by giving their children free schooling.
Teachers' groups said they accepted the government was struggling for funds and needed time to raise revenue.
Teachers are paid $100 (£66) a month but unions wanted four times as much.
Interesting huh? Yes, different economy and all, but same thing, teachers are not worth their weight in gold, yet every politician loves to get up and say how much we love our teachers, and they love to state ever so proudly that they were once teachers. (well, why did you leave?That's another entry...)
So to all the teachers around the world, to all of the teachers unions, hang in there, last Friday was May Day. May 1st, labour day for many countries around the world. To all the unions, we support you- SOLIDARITY FOREVER!!!
Teachers in Zimbabwe have called off a strike despite their wage demands not being met, while the government has slashed school fees for the new term.
David Coltart said the government had no money to raise their salaries, but he had agreed to help teachers by giving their children free schooling.
Teachers' groups said they accepted the government was struggling for funds and needed time to raise revenue.
Teachers are paid $100 (£66) a month but unions wanted four times as much.
Interesting huh? Yes, different economy and all, but same thing, teachers are not worth their weight in gold, yet every politician loves to get up and say how much we love our teachers, and they love to state ever so proudly that they were once teachers. (well, why did you leave?That's another entry...)
So to all the teachers around the world, to all of the teachers unions, hang in there, last Friday was May Day. May 1st, labour day for many countries around the world. To all the unions, we support you- SOLIDARITY FOREVER!!!
Monday, May 4, 2009
Ch 3 Seeing Color, Seeing Culture Questions
Here are the next set of thought /discussion questions for the book club. Remember to feel free to tune in, as well as to leave a comment on the blog.
The chapter begins with the part of Dr. Martin Luther King’s speech, I have a Dream.
1. Do you consider yourself a Cultural Relevant teacher? Why or why not?
2. Why do you think Dr. Ladson-Billings began this chapter with a vignette? Do you have any experiences to share like this?
3. AT the end of the vignette on page 31, last sentence..What are you doing to make your students feel, special, important & smart?
4. Do you feel that we acknowledge the racial & ethnic differences of the students whom we teach? Why is this so important?
5. On page 32, Billings, speaks about an early study that was conducted on pre-service teachers, paragraph 2. Read paragraph 2 and think of our school and its culture to answer the 3 important questions.
6. Page 32 – If a teacher looks at a classroom and sees the sons and daughters of slaves, how does that vision translate into her expectations for educational excellence. When we look at our children and see the faces of those who have socio-economic and educational problems, do we lower our expectations for these children?
7. What happens when teachers don’t see racial or ethnic differences in their classrooms?
8. Let’s compare the culture relevant Teacher to the Assimilations teacher.
9. Do you feel Joe Public, looks at our public school system as catering to the lower white income families PLUS blacks & the private schools are for the WHITES and upper class blacks. Do you feel this is true?
10. Page 35 Ms. Dupree states that when one of her students asked, “why you so dressed up?” she replied that she dresses that way because she was coming to work & works with very important people, so she wanted to look good. Do feel professional attire speaks volume for the teacher & their profession?
11. Page 35 describes Pauline Dupree what she looks like, how she dresses & what her classroom looks like & how it is run. The conclusion made was that the students were well behaved and orderly. What does this speak to in reference to the role model teachers are to their students?
12. What persona is given off by those teachers who dress poorly? Should professional dress be revisited here in Bda?
13. If you look good, you feel good, you want to be the BEST!!
14. Read pages 36 & 37, Dupree is talking with her students about wanting to become a teacher. Do you have these conversations with your students? Explain
15. Hwy is it important to see yourself as part of your school’s community? Explain the phrase, teaching is giving back to the community. Do you encourage your students to do the same?
16. Do you fit the mold of Dupree ”neat & orderly”, or Deveraux ”organized chaos”?
17. Deveraux had a missing child so she activated her –telephone tree, do you agree with having something like this as a teacher?
18. Parental involvement – What do WE do to get parents involved?
19. What are the characteristics that an excellent teacher should have that would inspire young scholars to want to become a teacher?
20. How important is it to spend time outside of the classroom to build community spirit? What would that looks like?
21. Do you see teaching as an ACT, Science or ART. Explain.
22. Do you see yourself in your students? Do they have your experiences, background, stories?
23. Peggy Valentine is on of the best teachers at the school she teaches. Her principal doesn’t like her personally, BUT he does acknowledges her as one of his best. Do you feel our leaders can separate the personal from the professional?
24. Do you believe that ALL students can achieve? Support your answer. – refer to CH2 page23 to assist you Why is it important to have a classroom that shouts success & a loving environment? What does this look like?
25. Does the competence of your Principal dictate the success in your classroom & in your school? Why or why not?
26. Is it important that students say positive affirmations to begin & end their day?
27. What are some practices we can take as educators from our colleagues in Chapter 3?
28. Why is it important to help students make connections between their community, island and the world?
29. One of her subjects – Margaret Rossi, states that she hated working at the private schools because she felt students were given material things BUT lacked sincere parental involvement, parents did what they were told they had to-do and nothing extra. Relate this to both our private & public schools.
30. Bermudian students are known for their talkativeness, who will be their selves no matter what and who will tell you exactly how they feel. Do you feel this is a strength, If so how can teachers best utilize this strength?
31. How does teaching with culturally relevant practices “dig knowledge out” of students?
The chapter begins with the part of Dr. Martin Luther King’s speech, I have a Dream.
1. Do you consider yourself a Cultural Relevant teacher? Why or why not?
2. Why do you think Dr. Ladson-Billings began this chapter with a vignette? Do you have any experiences to share like this?
3. AT the end of the vignette on page 31, last sentence..What are you doing to make your students feel, special, important & smart?
4. Do you feel that we acknowledge the racial & ethnic differences of the students whom we teach? Why is this so important?
5. On page 32, Billings, speaks about an early study that was conducted on pre-service teachers, paragraph 2. Read paragraph 2 and think of our school and its culture to answer the 3 important questions.
6. Page 32 – If a teacher looks at a classroom and sees the sons and daughters of slaves, how does that vision translate into her expectations for educational excellence. When we look at our children and see the faces of those who have socio-economic and educational problems, do we lower our expectations for these children?
7. What happens when teachers don’t see racial or ethnic differences in their classrooms?
8. Let’s compare the culture relevant Teacher to the Assimilations teacher.
9. Do you feel Joe Public, looks at our public school system as catering to the lower white income families PLUS blacks & the private schools are for the WHITES and upper class blacks. Do you feel this is true?
10. Page 35 Ms. Dupree states that when one of her students asked, “why you so dressed up?” she replied that she dresses that way because she was coming to work & works with very important people, so she wanted to look good. Do feel professional attire speaks volume for the teacher & their profession?
11. Page 35 describes Pauline Dupree what she looks like, how she dresses & what her classroom looks like & how it is run. The conclusion made was that the students were well behaved and orderly. What does this speak to in reference to the role model teachers are to their students?
12. What persona is given off by those teachers who dress poorly? Should professional dress be revisited here in Bda?
13. If you look good, you feel good, you want to be the BEST!!
14. Read pages 36 & 37, Dupree is talking with her students about wanting to become a teacher. Do you have these conversations with your students? Explain
15. Hwy is it important to see yourself as part of your school’s community? Explain the phrase, teaching is giving back to the community. Do you encourage your students to do the same?
16. Do you fit the mold of Dupree ”neat & orderly”, or Deveraux ”organized chaos”?
17. Deveraux had a missing child so she activated her –telephone tree, do you agree with having something like this as a teacher?
18. Parental involvement – What do WE do to get parents involved?
19. What are the characteristics that an excellent teacher should have that would inspire young scholars to want to become a teacher?
20. How important is it to spend time outside of the classroom to build community spirit? What would that looks like?
21. Do you see teaching as an ACT, Science or ART. Explain.
22. Do you see yourself in your students? Do they have your experiences, background, stories?
23. Peggy Valentine is on of the best teachers at the school she teaches. Her principal doesn’t like her personally, BUT he does acknowledges her as one of his best. Do you feel our leaders can separate the personal from the professional?
24. Do you believe that ALL students can achieve? Support your answer. – refer to CH2 page23 to assist you Why is it important to have a classroom that shouts success & a loving environment? What does this look like?
25. Does the competence of your Principal dictate the success in your classroom & in your school? Why or why not?
26. Is it important that students say positive affirmations to begin & end their day?
27. What are some practices we can take as educators from our colleagues in Chapter 3?
28. Why is it important to help students make connections between their community, island and the world?
29. One of her subjects – Margaret Rossi, states that she hated working at the private schools because she felt students were given material things BUT lacked sincere parental involvement, parents did what they were told they had to-do and nothing extra. Relate this to both our private & public schools.
30. Bermudian students are known for their talkativeness, who will be their selves no matter what and who will tell you exactly how they feel. Do you feel this is a strength, If so how can teachers best utilize this strength?
31. How does teaching with culturally relevant practices “dig knowledge out” of students?
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
The Mentor Program
This Washington Post article shows the importance of a proper mentor program. Read it, leave a comment, share your thoughts on the topic.
Nationwide, schools in low-income communities lose 21 percent of their teachers every year, while those in more affluent areas lose 14 percent, according to the Education Department. Academic malaise and discipline problems drive many teachers out of schools in low-income areas. Half of all teachers quit within five years.
Mentoring is an unheralded but pervasive reform that has swept public schools during the past 20 years to stem the exodus.
In the District and Montgomery County, full-time mentors are dispatched from the central office to observe a new teacher's lessons and to offer tips on how to decorate a classroom bulletin board or build a class library. In Fairfax, Prince William and Arlington counties, the mentor is a specially trained teacher at the school.
Three months into her first year at Flower Valley Elementary, Lawrence had not yet divided her class into smaller groups for daily reading lessons, a cornerstone of instruction in Montgomery. She was nervous about managing the class while working with five or six students at a time.
Her mentor offered a suggestion: When teaching small groups, wear a firefighter's hat. Tell the class she is not to be interrupted at such times unless there's a fire . . . or someone needs a bathroom break.
"I can help you sit down and plan this," Robinson said.
Mentoring is available to virtually all new teachers. Since 1999, Virginia has required a mentor for every new teacher. The commonwealth also offers grant money to fund extra mentors at hard-to-staff schools. Fairfax schools use the money, about $2,000 per new teacher, to pay a team of about 30 mentors, mostly teachers who are retired or on family leave.
Good induction and mentoring programs have proven worth. But some programs are underfunded, with mentors who have multiple jobs or are "spread very thinly among many buildings," said Jennifer King Rice, an associate education professor at the University of Maryland.
Good news, Bermuda has this form of programming and should, for the most part be around for a while, many find their mentors rather effective and helpful-share your thoughts.
Multiple Intelligences
We had a show a few episodes ago where we highlighted the theory of Howard Gardner- Multiple Intelligence. There is a school in Georgia that is using this theory, and thriving as a result of it. Check the artlicle for yourself.
Smartville is the Enota Multiple Intelligences Academy, a charter elementary school, in Gainesville, Georgia. The nickname embodies the schoolwide philosophy: At Enota, the theory that everyone possesses unique talents and aptitudes isn't just accepted and celebrated, it's an integral part of school culture. Kid-friendly labels for Howard Gardner's eight intelligences -- punchy interpretations like "word smart," "body smart," or "nature smart" -- pervade the school, appearing in hallway signs and classroom conversations. The real-world activities afforded by the school's village persona, staff members say, allow students to explore and express the multiple ways of being smart.
"Some people learn by doing worksheets, some by acting it out, some by sculpting, and some by listening," explains Enota fifth grader Katherine Anderson. "We work together and show each other different kinds of smarts. It helps us choose what we want to be when we grow up."
This schoolwide application of multiple-intelligences (MI) theory to curriculum is not an ivory-tower exercise, say Enota educators. It is good teaching. "Changing the definition of smart needed to happen for a long time," says fourth-grade teacher Audrey Thornton. "Gardner's principle was written to build in flexibility. The beauty in it is that you can take the philosophy and figure out how it's going to work with your kids." In other words, adds fifth-grade language arts and social studies teacher Denise McConnell, "we don't teach content. We teach children."
Click here for the rest of the article.
To read an article to learn more about the Theory of Multiple Intelligences, click here.
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